Graphic made by Cece Lipman
Internalized Misogyny, also known as internalized sexism, is the phenomenon that, because of patriarchal systems, women have subconsciously adapted to sexist beliefs. In doing this, women have built these mindsets to devalue themselves and other women. Studies by the American Psychological Association have found that women of all ages have adapted to a misogynistic mindset in various settings, such as work, school or sports.
These numbers narrow down when it comes to high school. According to the National Institutes of Health, 96.7% of women have reported an instance of gender based discrimination in their high school. These instincts often cause girls and women to dehumanize themselves, in addition to the gender based discrimination they face on the outside. These patterns create a cycle of absorbing the negativity and spreading it to other peers, worsening the restrictive gender norms high school girls face.
Misogyny According To High School Girls
The Clypian conducted a survey about how internalized misogyny is perceived at South Salem High School. It surveyed 30 girls, ranging from 10th-12th grade. Using a scale created by Margeret Piggott, it ranks internalized misogyny from one to seven in three categories: distrust of women, devaluing of women and valuing men over women. Furthermore, participants are asked to answer personal questions about their thoughts on misogyny in high school and whether anyone has specifically internalized it. .
The majority of scores in the ‘distrust of women’ category was 2.3, which was about 19.4% of participants. The majority of scores in the ‘devaluing of women’ category was a bit more spread out, varying from 1.3 (12.9%) to 2.2 (12.9%). The scores in the ‘valuing men over women’ category was overtaken by a landslide, with 35.5% of participants scoring a one out of seven. These score answers reveal that most girls have misogyny rooted in their mindset without realizing, but overall still see men and women as equal. When receiving higher scores, many participants felt surprised by their scores, and many claimed that they did not realize that they had internalized misogyny until taking the test.
Almost all participants stated that girls in high school face outward misogyny, whether it is in a school setting, a sports setting, family setting or internalized from a patriarchal society. However, most participants claimed that the misogyny they face is from high school boys.
Generational Misogyny
“In my opinion, high school girls face the majority of internalized misogyny. As the boys around us grow up, they feel a need to embrace their masculinity and become a man, and while these things are immensely important, they do so by putting down the—what they believe to be—’inferior’ sex,” Ayla Schindler ‘27 said.
Many participants also stated that they experience misogyny from their family members. Interestingly enough, many stated that they not only experienced misogyny from their male family but also their female family members. This alluded to the fact that internalized misogyny is not a new phenomenon. Ideas of misogyny have been passed down from generation to generation, and unfortunately, pushed onto the young women of today. Whether it be from a man or a woman, these ideas perpetuate harmful stereotypes and causes the recipient to further spread the ideas of misogyny.
“Older women, in particular, may unintentionally reinforce these beliefs because of the time period they grew up in. Many were raised with stricter expectations for women and fewer opportunities, so their views are often shaped by what was considered ‘normal’ or necessary for success. Even when these ideas really are not meant to be harmful, they can still influence the younger generations. This really shows that misogyny is not always obvious or intentional. It is often learned and passed down through social norms and everyday conversations, which makes it harder to recognize and challenge them,” Isabel Blackburn ‘27 said.
Effects of Political Affiliations
Another common idea of how misogyny is popularized is in politics. Especially today, many Republican or right-leaning political figures preach that women have no place in a political profession, and that they belong at home being a housewife. One participant (who chose to remain anonymous) stated that it is commonly heard for high school girls to say they want to quit school and be a housewife, as well as agreeing with the mistreatment of women’s sports and education.
“Especially with MAGA being a new idea, the idea that women need to be stuck in the house and be the caretaker. At school, you can hear people making comments saying that women should belong in the kitchen. Gender has become a part of what kind of classes people should take, as most women take culinary, or ‘feminine’ suggested topics,” Brennea Atchley ‘27 said.
